Snap-hook



(No Model.)

0. E. MSGLINTOGK.

SNAP HOOK.

No. 394,598. Patented Dec. 18, 1888.

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WITNESSES: INVENTOR:

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES EDXVARD MCCLINTOCK, OF ST. JOSEPH, MISSOURI.

SNAP-HOOK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 394,598, dated December 18, 1888. Application filed November 29, 1887. Serial No. 256,436. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, CHARLES EDWARD MC- CLINTOCK, of St. Joseph, in the county of Buchanan and State of Missouri, have invented a new and Improved Snap-Hook, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the annexed drawings, forming a part thereof, in which- Figure 1 is a side elevation of my improved snap-hook. Fig. 2 is a rear elevation. Fig; 3 is a front elevation, and Fig. 4 is a longitudinal section taken on line a- .r in Fig. 3.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views.

The invention consists in the construction and arrangement of parts hereinafter described, and specifically pointed out in the claim.

My invention consists in a spring-actuated tongue prolonged beyond its pivot through the back of the hook and provided with a thumb-piece by means of which the tongue may be operated.

The body A of the hook is provided with a transverse mortise, B, in which is pivoted the tongue C upon the rivet (z. The free end of the tongue 0 is received in a cavity in the inner face of the point of the hook A in the usual way, and a spring, I), wound around the rivet a in the cavity of the tongue (3, presses against the tongue, and also against the inner side of the hook A, tending to force the free end of the tongue outward against the end of the hook.

An arm, I), formed integrally with the tongue 0, and arranged at right angles to the tongue, extends through the mortise B of the hook, and is provided at the back of the hook with a thumb-piece, E, which extends toward the eye F of the hook, in position to be easily pressed by the thumb or finger. By thus projecting the thumb-piece toward the eye F it will always hang downwardly when in use, and thus when the head of the animal is thrown up the thumb-piece will glide past any projection and not catch thereon and release the hook. Heretofore snap-hooks of this character have had their thumb-pieces so arranged that when the hook was in use they would project toward the hooked end, and not toward the loop. By this means the finger or thumb pieces would engage the harness or hitching-post and release the snaphook. I do not claim such prior construction as of my invention.

The ring or strap in connection with which the hook is to be used is inserted in the hook by pressing it against the tongue L in the usual way, and when it is desired to remove the ring from the hook the free end of the tongue is swung back from the end of the hook A by pressing upon the thumb-piece E.

Having thus fully described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent The herein-described snap-hook A, consisting of the hook-shaped body A, having a recess, B, through its rear end, an angular tongue, C, pivoted at a in said recess and formed with a flat thumb-piece, E, at its rear end projecting rearward along the body, and a spring, 12, substantially as set forth.

CHARLES EDWARD MUULIN'IOCK.

Witnesses:

J AMES E. M (:CoLYEE, B. F. FINGER. 

